Variations in pulmonary venous drainage into the left atrium. a case report with clinical implications

The pulmonary veins, responsible for carrying oxygenated blood from the lung to the left atrium for gaseous exchange, often exhibit variations. Understanding and mapping these variations is crucial for diagnosing atrial fibrillations and pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. This study, aimed at reporting the variations in the number of pulmonary veins and drainage patterns, presents findings from the dissection of a female cadaver in our Department of Anatomy. Notably, we observed variations in the drainage pattern of pulmonary veins on the left atrium. On the right side of the left atrium, three veins (Superior pulmonary vein, Accessory vein and Inferior pulmonary vein) were draining via three pulmonary ostia. On the left side, the common trunk of a single pulmonary vein drains via a single pulmonary ostium. These findings hold significant potential to benefit medical professionals, aiding in planning various procedures involving pulmonary veins and catheter-based interventions like radiofrequency ablation.